The Burden Of Time
by Apocalypse1718
Summary: Written for the Poetry Inspiration Challenge. Prompt: I am again the wildhearted and the lonely-Suzanne Doyle, Hell to Pay Ron broke Hermione's heart, now he must carry the ultimate burden.


**Written for the Poetry Inspiration Challenge.**

**Prompt: I am again the wildhearted and the lonely-Suzanne Doyle, Hell to Pay**

**Disclaimer: No. Simply No.**

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**The Burden Of Time**

Today was the day. He had gotten the letter in the mail several months before. It had broken his heart into pieces. Your honored presence is requested at the nuptial rite of Hermione Jean Granger and Draco Lucius Malfoy...when those words crossed his line of vision, his whole world imploded. He knew that he deserved it, he just hadn't anticipated that it would hurt so much.

_Flashback_

_Hermione Granger was ecstatic. The love of her life, Ron, would be cooking dinner for her tonight. He said that he had been practicing for a while now, and wanted to make a special anniversary dinner for her. It's not everyday that you can celebrate 5 years of dating. Yes, now at the age of 22 Hermione Granger was positive that she had found her heart's desire. After a day of work she couldn't wait to get back to their cosy apartment and share a romantic dinner with Ron._

_The second Hermione opened the door she knew something was wrong. The whole place was a mess, clothes were strewn across the floor, furniture toppled, even her favorite glass piano, a gift from Draco after they had become friends, was broken, smashed into millions of little pieces that sparkled in the dim lighting of the room. Thats when she heard a moan echo through the house. Tears started to well in her eyes._

_With a shaking hand, she opened the door to their bedroom. The scene in front of her was enough to shatter her heart. Although he was covered with a blanket, Hermione could still see that Ron was the one on the bed. The other seemed to be a blonde. Both of them were moaning and panting. Neither had noticed Hermione standing alone in the doorway._

_"So this is what you do when I'm gone." Hermione whispered. No reply._

_"This is what I get for loving you?" Hermione said once more, a little louder this time._

_"This is my punishment for falling in love?!" she screamed. Finally, they noticed. Ron stared at her in horror, his hair mussed, lipstick smears all over his body. He reached out to Hermione._

_"Hermione...this, this isn't what it looks like, I swear." he stammered, hoping to salvage whatever sympathy she had left for him. Seeing the look on her face, one of infinite torment, he knew that whatever love she had for him had vanished._

_"I'm leaving Ron. Stay the hell away from me you bastard." With tear filled eyes, Hermione turned and left. Ron tried to go after her, but was pulled back by the blonde who successfully lured him back to their games. After a while he heard the door slam. When he woke in the morning there was no trace of Hermione left in the apartment. There was one thing though. One picture, taken when he and Hermione were still so in love. Ron held that picture to him. It was over. He knew it. He would never get her back._

_The months to come were absolutely miserable._

_Present Day_

Ron stared at the beautiful invitation, now wet with tears. He had found out from Harry how Hermione and Draco had gotten together. After Hermione discovered he was cheating on her, she had packed her bags and left. She was too depressed to check into a hotel and ended up crying on a bench in Diagon Alley. Draco found her and took her back to his place. Things apparently escalated from there. Draco had told Hermione that he had been in love with her since Hogwarts. They spent more and more time together and fell in love, which led to the invitation in Ron's hands.

He would go. It had taken a lot of willpower not to rip the paper to shreds. He figured that it would be his last chance to negotiate with her. Maybe even, by some miracle, win her back. He was going. No matter how much pain it caused him. He was going.

_Wedding Day_

She looked incredible. In a flowing white gown complete with shimmering embroidery. Countless gems sewn into the dress reflected rainbows on the walls. The dress was rumored to have cost over 20 million galleons. As expected of Malfoy. On top of Hermione's head sat the famed Malfoy tiara, passed to each generation of the Malfoy women for the last four centuries. The greatest jewel of all though, the one that sparkled the most, was the dazzling bride herself.

As she entered the church, every eye was on her, Ron watched as she walked down the aisle and greeted Draco, love shining in their eyes. Once the words, "I do. and You may now kiss the bride." were spoken, the new Mr. and embraced each other and kissed like there was no tomorrow. Ron couldn't take it anymore, so he left. But not before Hermione could catch a glimpse of him. Sending him a look filled with pain and anguish. The pain he had inflicted was still there. But fading. Just like her memory of him.

_2 Months Later..._

The weekly dinner at the Burrow became unbearable after that. Hermione never showed up anymore. The younger children would always ask where she was. Ron couldn't bear it each time Teddy cried because he missed Hermione. His own family looked at him with pained expressions. Harry always wore one of disappointment.

_1 Month Later..._

His nights became restless. The other side of the bed cold and untouched. Hermione used to sing to him when he couldn't sleep. She had a beautiful voice. All he heard at night now was the soft swishes of the curtains and the persistent chirp of the crickets. Never before did he think that he could feel so alone. So guilty. So ashamed.

_3 Months Later..._

Walking had become a problem. Walking in general, because it reminded him of her. She used to love walks in the park. The sunlight catching her hair perfectly. Walks also subjected him to public appearances. Nobody wanted a word or photograph or a signature anymore. They all stared and glared at him. Eyes full of fear, anger, and hate. After all, he had broken the heart of the most promising young witch the wizarding world had seen for centuries. Therefore, he was A) hated by almost everyone, and B) Unable to Walk.

_1 Year Later..._

Eventually, Hermione and the snake had a son. A son that was the exact replica of his father, only with Hermione's smile and her warm chestnut colored eyes. The child was beautiful, and gifted with the brains of both his parents. Ron couldn't stand looking at him. It was a living reminder of his stupidity.

_6 Months Later..._

Everything was painful to him. Most days he wouldn't eat. Others he wouldn't even get out of bed. Somedays he did both. He had become a shell of the person that he had been. He was almost animal now. Wild, feral, dangerous...and lonely.

_2 Months Later..._

He was lonely. He hadn't felt this way since he was 10, the ignored child, the failure, the unwanted. Until Hermione came into his life. She was the light that pulled him from his darkness. Made him feel special. Gave him her heart. And he shattered that heart. Deep down inside, there still lay his wildheart. The one that would never stop playing the Casanova. Hell, she caught him that one time, but she never did know how many times he really cheated on her. Rita Skeeter published an article that interviewed "all" the girls that he had cheated on Hermione with. The article featured 10 wasn't even half of them.

But it was enough to break Hermione's already shattered heart, the one that Draco so carefully pieced back together, even more. He felt horrible. His wildheart just wouldn't let him settle down. He wanted to so badly. Hermione was the only one for him, but the beast within was unsatisfied.

He had nothing. Nothing at all. No more smiles, no more laughs, just bitter loneliness. And so, that night, Ronald Weasley made a final decision. A life or death choice. Literally.

_2 Years, 2 Months since the Wedding..._

Now he stands at the edge of a cliff. Gazing into the endless sea. Eyes full of pain. He had hurt Hermione, in more ways than one, and suffered thoroughly for it. He remembered, the hateful glances he received. After all, he had hurt one third of the Golden Trio, it didn't matter that he was part of it. The people took Hermione's side. No one supported him anymore. He was alone.

A deep breath. In then out._ Now Jump_. For the first time in over two years, Ronald Weasley felt at peace and smiled sadly and as the sparkling water engulfed him in its embrace. He thought his last words.

_I am again the wildhearted and the lonely..._

_Forever._

END

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**Darker than I had thought it was going to be. I hope you all liked it, especially you percychased! Thank you for this awesome prompt (I've been meaning to write a story like this) and thanks to all the people that reviewed/followed/favorited all my other stories. Thanks for taking the time to read. I really appreciate it. Also a HUGE thanks to my real life best friend jzhang for editing!**

**Review? ;)**

**~ Apocalypse**


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